Safdie lands Warner Bros. license

At the New York Market- A top Canadian home textiles company is set to make inroads into the U.S. market now that it has scored a license agreement with an iconic American brand.Safdie International's line of Warner Bros. cartoon character- and super hero-themed hooded fleece throws will be shown at the New York Home Fashions Market this week.The license agreement is a coup for the division of Safdie & Co. Inc., according to Mark Burke, U.S. national sales manager of Safdie International. "Everyone knows Batman," he said."We're not new to Canada," said Burke, where Safdie sells its throws and fleece sheet sets and Star Wars-licensed products, "but we're new to introducing our licensed characters in the United States."The Warner Bros. fleece throws will be made out of 300-gram coral fleece with a high pile. With seven designs, including Bugs Bunny and Tweety-Bird, the oversize products double as a blanket and dress-up item for children. There are glovelike spaces for children to put their hands.Burke said the product is aimed at box, department and specialty stores with a $19.99 to $24.99 retail price.Comparisons to the Snuggie blanket, which is sold for under $15 at Wal-Mart and other stores, seem inevitable, but Burke said Safdie's product is quite distinct. "This is a heavier weight, almost twice the pile height" as the Snuggie, he said.If the Warner Bros. fleece throws prove successful, Burke said there may be potential to apply the license to other Safdie products.Safdie International also creates a juvenile product called Cuddly Creatures, pillows that turn into animals.